Hot Topics:

Celtics need top-level talent to close gap

By Matt Langone, mlangone@lowellsun.com

Updated:
05/27/2017 09:45:23 AM EDT

From left: Boston Celtics players Al Horford, Avery Bradley, Jonas Jerebko and Kelly Olynyk look on during the second half of Thursday s season-ending loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals in Boston.
AP PHOTO

BOSTON -- Yes, the Boston Celtics delivered an undeniably successful season in 2016-17.

Yes, they exceeded most people's expectations.

Yes, Green Teamers should feel positive about their franchise's future.

But it can't all be sunshine and lollipops. Not after the top-seeded Celtics lost the Eastern Conference Finals to the Cleveland Cavaliers in five games, and dropped four contests by an average margin of 25.7 points. The Cavs won the series-clinching Game 5 on Thursday night at TD Garden by a score of 135-102. Next stop for the Cavs: a third straight NBA Finals matchup against the Golden State Warriors.

Buried in all the feel-good happy talk directed at the Celtics is the taint of a harsh reality. That being that the gap between them and the defending champion Cavs remains monstrous. In fact, it's probably larger than anyone thought it was going into the lopsided series that saw LeBron James and Kyrie Irving dominate as though they were superheroes against the mere mortals wearing Celtics' uniforms.

The East is pretty much a one-team conference. Cleveland's perennial joyride to the Finals rolls over minor speedbump after minor speedbump.

"I think collectively you take away what elite looks like, because I think we saw it first-hand, especially in these home games," said Celtics head coach Brad Stevens, whose team also lost 117-104 and 130-86 in their own building.

Advertisement

The Celtics were without star guard Isaiah Thomas, a Second Team All-NBA selection, for the final three games of the series due to a hip injury that may require surgery. Still, it wouldn't have mattered either way.

James averaged 29.6 points, 6.8 assists and 6.4 rebounds, Irving averaged 25.8 points and Kevin Love averaged 22.6 points and 12.4 rebounds in the series. The Cavs' stars were unstoppable and the scrappy Celtics fought hard but were overwhelmed.

"This is the honest truth, and I'm probably going to get in trouble for this, I don't think there's anything you can do to try and compare a team to our team because we have LeBron and Kyrie," said Cavs veteran forward Channing Frye. "I think you look at the (Celtics), they have a young Jaylen Brown, they have a young core, they have the No. 1 pick, they have opportunities to make trades.

"For that team to be that young and to get to the Eastern Conference Finals and be No. 1, you've got to look at that as an amazing season and build on that."

James is still just 32. Irving is just 25. Love is just 28. We're talking about a nucleus that still has a long shelf-life. For the Celtics to realistically challenge the Cavs in the next three years, it's going to take a significant talent increase.

The good news is that the pieces are in place for that to happen. Boston does indeed own the No. 1 pick in a talented and deep draft next month. They also figure to be a player in free agency, and are rumored to be a very possible landing spot for Utah Jazz All-Star forward Gordon Hayward, who played for Stevens at Butler University. On top of all of that, President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge is a shrewd decision-maker who is well-aware of the task facing his team if they want to be mentioned with the likes of the Cavaliers and Warriors.

"We think we have a good group of guys, guys that compete and play hard," said Celtics big man Al Horford. "We still, obviously, have to keep growing as a group. We obviously see that the team to get past is Cleveland, and right now we're not there, we're not where we need to be. But I'm proud of our guys."

Horford, who averaged a lackluster 12.4 points and 4.2 rebounds in the series, figures to definitely be in the long-term plans. He signed a max deal with the Celtics last summer.

Beyond that, Ainge will likely entertain all offers and explore all options to help the Celtics take the next step. No player is untouchable and no asset is untouchable because the simple fact is the Celtics need to find a way to add top-level talent.

"I have no clue what's going to go on," said Celtics guard Marcus Smart. "Danny is a great president of basketball operations. I can't really worry about what those guys are going to do, I can just worry about what I can do and get better to help this team if I'm here."

Said Stevens, "I think we've got a good amount of people that will be back and obviously a strong core with also some exciting opportunities in the draft. I mean, it's pretty cool to think about that in three weeks we've got the No. 1 pick in the draft. It means that I've got to go straight to work tomorrow, but I'm looking forward to watching these prospects."

It was certainly a fun season for the Celtics, one that was much-appreciated from their fans. But if they're going to make the jump from nice little story to true NBA title contender, there is a lot more work to be done.

Welcome to your discussion forum: Sign in with a Disqus account or your social networking account for your comment to be posted immediately, provided it meets the guidelines. (READ HOW.)
Comments made here are the sole responsibility of the person posting them; these comments do not reflect the opinion of The Sun. So keep it civil.